Zlatan Ibrahimovic says he joined the Premier League to prove his critics wrong

Ibrahimovic, 35, who once called the Premier League “crap”, claims he had offers to join the cash-fuelled Chinese Super League but wanted to prove he could make it in England during arguably the toughest stage in his career.

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He told Sky Sports: “I have no problem [with the criticism] because I went through this my whole career, this is something that triggers me, gives me energy.

“People talking about me, saying, ‘You’re dead, you’re this, that’, ex-players talking, and I don’t even remember them when they were playing. But one thing for sure is they will remember me for the rest of their lives.

“After many years of talks like, ‘He can never make it in the Premier League, he can never make it there’, I had my little adventure going around different countries, and when they felt it was most difficult for me, I chose to come.

Ibrahimovic claims he does not remember the pundits who criticise him as players

Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic start the new year in an ice bath

"Let's say a person in my position would take the easiest way, go abroad, make money in China, or the other side and settle down with the career he had, I choose not, I took the challenge, accepted the challenge, and that's what I chose.

"That's why I chose United also, in a situation where they struggled for the last four or five years, and if I can finish the task to bring them to the top, I will be more than happy.

"I don't like the easy task, the easy job, the easy objectives, I always had it hard whenever I went. I needed to do much more than the other ones, and that's how I see it here, at the age of 35, people said it would be impossible but I am doing what I am able to do."

Ibrahimovic chose to link up with Jose Mourinho for a second time in his career, following a season at Inter Milan.

He left the San Siro to play for Pep Guardiola's Barcelona, where he was sold after two trophy-laden years.

"I believe the new generation, let's say it's a bit easier for them, because they get explored in the media in a different way, much bigger, much faster than when I popped up in the football world.

"I met team-mates, played with different teams, and they worked hard to get what they got and achieve.

"I don't want to say it's totally different, but I don't see the same hard-working thing today when I see the new generation, because like you say, when I come I like to work hard, and when I work hard I am satisfied.

"I know I am doing something good, but for myself, not for somebody else to say, 'Oh Ibra you are working hard'."

Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thierry Henry played together at Barca between 2009-2010

Ibrahimovic's exclusive chat with Sky Sports pundit and SunSport columnist Thierry Henry - who he played with at Barcelona - was abruptly interrupted by team-mate Paul Pogba.

And the world's most expensive player was given a warning by the outspoken Swede.

Ibra was ill for Tuesday's EFL Cup semi-final against Hull, but saw the Frenchman hit the post with a free-kick.

He cautioned the 23-year-old: "Did it go in? No, so I am taking the next one. I said to him 'you score a goal and I will leave it to you, but you will get one possibility'. I was watching and said 'hopefully it goes in' but it went out. It will come. I was not on the field and when the lion is not there the cats come."

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